MADURAI: In a jolt to the Tamil Nadu fishing community, the Indian Coast Guard has accused fishermen of sensationalising incidents of mid-sea attacks along the Indo-Sri Lankan International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).Besides, the premier coastal security agency has backed the view of Sri Lankan fishermen about their Tamil Nadu counterparts exploiting the marine resources in the troubled waters of Palk Bay.Inspector General VSR Murthy, Deputy Director General (Operations and Coastal Security), Indian Coast Guard, has come up with these charges in an additional counter-affidavit filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in a public interest litigation seeking protection for Indian fishermen.According to him, the Tamil Nadu State Fisheries Department and the Indian High Commission in Colombo had reported to the Coast Guard about a few incidents of alleged attacks on Indian fishermen on October 24 and 31, respectively. Stating that the Coast Guard investigated the matter to ascertain the position of attacks through corroborative evidence, Murthy said “The Indian fishermen chose to sensationalise the alleged incident, instead of seeking assistance of the Coast Guard/Indian Navy on patrol at sea.” Murthy further submitted that Tamil Nadu fishermen violate the Lankan law by using bottom trawling and monofilament nets in Lankan waters, which are prohibited by the fisheries law of Government of Sri Lanka. “This further multiplies the offence of poaching by Indian trawlers, as they are involved in an activity... banned in Sri Lanka,” he said, adding that this had led to over-exploitation of fisheries resources in the Lankan side of Palk Bay and challenged the sovereign right of the country over its waters. Seeking to vacate an interim order passed by Justices K N Basha and M Venugopal directing the Coast Guard to deploy vessels to safeguard the Indian fishermen, Murthy said the Coast Guard cannot venture into Lankan territory to protect the fishermen who poach in Lankan waters. Therefore, he recommended the institution of a ‘No Fishing Zone’ in the Palk Bay.
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